SAF-Holland focused on the further weight optimisation in the traditional areas of axles, suspension systems and fifth wheels at the IAA 2018 expo. The two electrically driven axles, which were presented for the first time, and the new fully automatic coupling system introduced IAA visitors to the new world of intelligent trailers. The company also discussed the future of digitalisation, augmented reality, a new speech assistant and the ‘Fleet Service Platform Trailer Master’ that will link all applications in the future for more efficiency in everyday transport
During a live demonstration at the booth, SAF-Holland showed how automatic coupling will make semi-trailer trucks ready for an efficient and safe future: The fully automatic coupling system saves up to five minutes during each coupling process and prevents errors caused by manual coupling.
The two prototypes for the e-axles SAF TRAKr and SAF TRAKe were presented for the first time. The use of recuperation technology will allow them to lower emissions and fuel consumption of the overall vehicle, for example during inner-city refrigerated night-time transport. SAF TRAKe additionally uses the saved energy to support the propulsion of the tractor unit, for example on hills.
An important aspect of the presentation of the new products was how weight-optimised axles and suspension systems allow higher additional loads, increasing efficiency and saving costs. One action area at the booth provided information on the SAF adaptive air damping which uses no hydraulic shock absorbers and will be available from 2019. The hydraulically driven SAF TRAK axle, which supports tractor units on difficult terrain at the press of a button, has recently gone into production. SAF-Holland presented other new lightweight products, including from the SAF Modul and SAF Intra series.
The digital applications from SAF-Holland showed what fleets need to manage their trailers. The brand new speech assistant answers questions on axles, repair manuals or order numbers directly while the mechanic works on the vehicle. The new augmented reality application makes complex situations more accessible, guides through individual repair steps and makes repairs more efficient.
Fleet managers can monitor their trailers with the Fleet Service Platform Trailer Master. The installed products are equipped with sensors and transmit relevant data, for example on GPS position, tire pressure or wheel bearing temperature. This allows drivers and fleet managers to react to any unusual developments, saving costs and minimising risks.Â
